Ace makes City chase just great

Wednesday

Jul 29, 2009 at 12:01 AMJul 29, 2009 at 7:27 PM

There were plenty of fireworks in Tuesday’s second day of qualifying for the Peoria Men’s City golf tournament at Kellogg Golf Course. Three players shot in red figures, two fired even-par 72s and another wrote a “1” on his scorecard.

After playing 36 holes in Monday’s U.S. Amateur qualifier at Arrowhead Country Club, Ben Murphy carded a 4-under 68. The 2005 Notre Dame graduate and former Illinois State player tied Scott Petty’s Monday tally for the best qualifying score.

BRENT GLASGOW

There were plenty of fireworks in Tuesday’s second day of qualifying for the Peoria Men’s City golf tournament at Kellogg Golf Course. Three players shot in red figures, two fired even-par 72s and another wrote a “1” on his scorecard.

After playing 36 holes in Monday’s U.S. Amateur qualifier at Arrowhead Country Club, Ben Murphy carded a 4-under 68. The 2005 Notre Dame graduate and former Illinois State player tied Scott Petty’s Monday tally for the best qualifying score.

“I played a good front, then hit every green on the back and two-putted every hole,” said Murphy, who was 3-under through five holes. “It was kind of disappointing on the back because I knew Scott had shot 4-under. I had a lot of eight- and 10-footers coming in but couldn’t get them to fall.”

Murphy, the Ron Ghidina Memorial champion who has played a marathon summer schedule, said coming back after a two-round day wasn’t difficult. “Yesterday I had a caddy, and today I rode in a cart, so it wasn’t all that bad,” he said.

It didn’t take long for a low number to be posted on Tuesday. The first score turned in was from ’08 Notre Dame grad and St. Ambrose University sophomore Joe Habecker. With a birdie-eagle finish, Habecker carded a 69.

“I made pretty much every putt I hit,” Habecker said. “I’ve been playing this course for probably 10 years, so I know where to miss and when to hit good shots.”

Habecker has had a much different approach to the summer than
Murphy.

“I’ve been taking it easy, really,” Habecker said. “I played in a tournament at the beginning of the summer, but other than that, I’ve just been playing some on my own for fun and hitting balls every now and then. I don’t want to get burnt out for the golf season.”

“Maybe I’m just sick of seeing my son shoot low ... maybe it was my turn,” laughed Kreiter, whose son Travis will play at Bradley starting this fall. “I think I shot 79 or 80 out here last week. Today was the round of my life.”

Aaron Lorentz, Jeff White and Chris Doyle all shot 73.
Doyle, a ’98 Notre Dame grad, is a former C-flight winner. He moved back to Peoria last year after spending six years as a caddy in Naples, Fla.

“It’s good to be back in championship flight where I belong,” Doyle said. “I know this course like the back of my hand. The thing I like about Kellogg is you can come out and just swing away.”

Though he had an 86, Gary Crow had the shot of the day — and of his life. The player of 40 years aced the 150-yard 17th with a 9-iron for his first hole-in-one.

“The ball hung there forever,” Crow said. “I don’t know if it was up against the pin or what. We could still see it, and then it just dropped.”

Tournament qualifying will conclude on Wednesday. Championship flight match play will begin on Monday.